Soyeon Shin
Walk
November 14, 2020 - January 9, 2021
@
Mrs.
60-40 56th Drive
Maspeth, NY 11378
Mrs. is delighted to present an exhibition of new paintings by Soyeon Shin. Derived from the artist’s daily routine, Walk explores new and imagined worlds within her neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Witnessing changes in weather, seasons and the effects of human activities, Shin’s paintings travel through time and space as she depicts local cityscapes, inspired by urban nature and the animals that inhabit it.
Shins brightly colored canvases depict the banality of the city, while also quietly showing us another, fantastical dimension. She constructs a world of brick buildings, empty lots and sidewalks. Observing the wildlife of the city — birds, squirrels and cats, their activities unquestionably different from our own — she takes note of the divergences in how we cohabitate. So familiar yet mysterious, she explores the extreme possibilities of these creatures’ secret lives. As if it were ordinary behavior, squirrels fly through the air, leaving chemtrails as they soar. Tightly painted dogs scale the sides of buildings while out for their afternoon walk.
Trees harbor shadow worlds, where human figures transition between the real and the spectral. Providing an energy at once vibrant and peaceful, the artist reflects on these trees: dynamic foliage, elegantly changing their outfits through the seasons in a hurried silence. Ethereal, puffy clouds often punctuate Shins canvases, ever-changing in form and always moving forward; appearing vibrant, fearless and joyful.
These works present a surrealistic version of the artist's mindscape, through which the viewer can see into another place, quite like and unlike their own. Conjuring feelings, beliefs and memory, both good and bad, for Shin painting is a poem written with colors and everyday subjects and at its most basic, a record of life.
Soyeon Shin is a visual artist originally from Seoul, South Korea, who has lived and worked in Brooklyn, NY, since 2010. She received her BFA from the Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea; and her MFA in Sculpture from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY. Shin's work has been exhibited at Alessandro Berni Gallery, New York; The NARS Foundation, Trestle Gallery, Brooklyn NY; and Gallery Giotta, Seoul, South Korea. Her work has recently been featured in ArtMaze Magazine. This will be the artist’s first presentation with the gallery, which will coincide with an online presentation of new works for NADA Miami 2020.
